


Punk's Not Dead

by Definitely_Not_A_Ghost (orphan_account)



Category: Watch Dogs (Video Games)
Genre: Ain't nobody dead, Angst, Background Marcus/Horatio, Because spikes are dangerous kids, Clara ain't dead, F/M, Horatio ain't dead, Leather, M/M, Metal Spikes, Porn With Plot, Shy!Wrench, Slow Burn, There will be sexytimes, Watch Dogs 2, Watch Dogs Spoilers, and blood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-19
Updated: 2017-01-19
Packaged: 2018-09-18 13:43:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9387731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Definitely_Not_A_Ghost
Summary: DedSec needs help purging a virus from its systems, and end up recruiting Clara from Chicago's DedSec. Wrench is excited that he can share his love of spikes and tattoos with someone else, but has no idea how to actually woo her. Clara doesn't mind. Things explode. Everyone's happy.





	

DedSec stared at the Laughing-Lenni face. Every channel held it in loop, every station carried the cackle and static over the airways, and it permeated each and every hacker space. None of them – not Marcus or Josh or Sitara nor Wrench could get it to stop (except after unplugging the screens, or ripping one off the wall before being wrestled away in Wrench’s case). The other hideouts confirmed that Lenni was all they could see. Their stuff was locked away, compromised, and for a moment DedSec thought it was beaten.

Raymond took one look at the laughing face and neon cats and snorted derisively. _PR stunt; bet it would go away if I turned it off and on again_. It wasn't until after he’d tried tinkering that he realized just how well put together the hack was, and why DedSec was so down in the dumps.

“I see what you mean,” Ray admitted to Marcus after a couple days of getting nowhere. “Thing’s nasty.”

Marcus sighed heavily. “I tried asking her nicely to get rid of it.”

“Yeah? How’d that work out for ya?”

Marcus lolled his head to the side and gave Ray a scathing “what do you fucking think” look.

Ray shrugged and pulled out a chair at the large center table. “Any other brilliant plans you got? Maybe we can send her a box of chocolates next-”

“It was worth a shot.” Sitara interrupted, wandering over to the two of them. “At least someone around here’s doing something.”

“Yeah, and that price was us telling the world we’re ‘DedSuck’.” Marcus interrupted before the two could start arguing.

“Not gonna happen.” Wrench hefted himself up onto the edge of the desk and swung his legs back and forth. “She’s got that chip right? Lets cut off her arm.”

Josh brought his laptop over and settled in the available chair next to Sitara. “Wrench’s ideas are unnecessarily violent, but I’m okay with this one.”

“Converted!” Wrench cheered gleefully, leaning over the length of the table to fistbump a sheepish looking Josh.

“We could probably just scan it,” Marcus said, looking over to Ray and Sitara.

“She’ll notice,” Sitara murmured.

“I’ll be sneaky.”

“We can tag team her!” Wrench cackled excitedly. “I get the gun!”

Sitara tucked her legs up underneath herself and pulled out her phone after it buzzed. Another DedSec member had apparently convinced a Prime_Eight member that they were part of the team, and we now busy sending pictures of some headquarters near the coast. She wondered if infiltrating this place would get them to Lenni. Maybe tie her down and force her to remove the virus? _Ugh, I sound like Wrench._

“Anything good?” Raymond asked, leaning over to look at the screen.

Sitara angled the phone away from the older man besides her before clicking it off and stuffing it in her pocket. “Nope.”

“You sure?”

Sitara smiled sweetly. She didn't trust Raymond at all.

Ray snorted and stretched languidly in his chair before straightening and scratching his belly, much to Sitara’s disgust. “Well, guys, as much as I think that… what were we gonna do?” Ray frowned and took in the vaguely floorplan-looking sketch between Marcus and Wrench.

“Infiltrate her home and superglue all her knickknacks down.” Wrench said dully, placing a big red ‘X’ through the bathroom. “This area would be best.” He muttered.

Ray regarded the drawing. “For the glue?” He asked quizzically.

“No, for the cockfighting ring – OF COURSE it’s for the glue. How shitty would it be to go shower – assuming she does,” he added, his eyes lighting up in a side glance, “and realize your shampoo is glue. Or glued down. Or both?”

“That’s ridiculous; if you’re gonna replace it with glue, why glue it down at all?” Marcus asked, scratching contemplatively at his chin.

“Consistency, Marcus, is key. Besides, this is more psychological warfare than anything else.”

“Weren't you the one saying we should cut off her arm?” Marcus interjected.

“That was the old me. The new me is consistent.”

“Oh, oh, you mean this new three minute you?” Marcus asked, faux anger tinging his voice.

“Yeah, M, new me.”

“The three minute Wrench.”

“That’s right.”

“Aight.”

“Good.”

“Fine.”

“ _Fine_.”

The two stared each other down, arms crossed and faces petulant. Wrench’s X’d out eyes flickered to O’s a moment later.

“Oh wait – you meant three minutes like…” the O’s were replaced with angry back and forward slashes. “Oh you shit.”

“Guys.” Ray sighed and rubbed tiredly at the bridge of his nose. “I love that this conversation is completely pertinent and not off-topic at all, but I have an actual suggestion if ya’ll wanna hear it.”

“Yeah man, what the hell are you just sitting there for then?” Marcus abandoned the floorplan and swiveled his chair to face the older man.

“Now hear me out – I know how you guys feel about letting in new people,” he threw a heavy look over to Sitara, who shrugged her shoulders and made a ‘not me’ face. “But I’ve worked with them quite a bit in the past,” he continued, “and I know for a fact they’re pretty gifted with this kind of…” he motioned towards the monitors behind him, “virus nonsense. Making and breaking ‘em, so to speak. I think they could help you guys out.”

“ _Us_ out, man, you’re a part of this too.” Marcus said. “Who are they?”

“Kid worked with Aiden and I a while back in Chicago-”

“Woah! The Fox? _The_ Fox? That one?” Marcus said excitedly, smacking Wrench on the arm to make him pay attention. The Wrench was already enraptured, wide-eyed O’s taking up his face.

“It’s not Aiden.”

“Aww, man.” Marcus slumped back in his seat. Wrench sighed as equal signs popped up for a second before returning to X’s.

“But they recruited Pearce and worked with Dedsec. Anyways, the point is, they’re good, and I think they can clean out your system for you.” Ray shrugged and reclined further into his chair. “It might take longer than…ohh, say, cutting Lenni’s arm off,” He gave Wrench a look, “It’s definitely less exciting, but it’s an option. Chicago’s been quiet lately; I don’t think they’d mind stepping out for a bit. ‘Side’s, Aiden’ll still be there.”

“He can’t come with?” Marcus asked weakly.

Ray snorted. “I’ll ask.”

“Who are they?” Sitara asked. “Have they got a handle or something?”

“Uuuggghh,” Ray squinted off to some middle distance. “Pretty sure it was BadBoy17 last I checked.”

The room was silent until Marcus let out a loud ‘pffffffttt’ sound and started laughing. Wrench’s mechanical glee also echoed strangely around the room as he let out a peal of laughter.

“BadBoy17?” Wrench asked, still cackling. “Oh man, that’s almost as cool as Hawt Sauce!”

“Thanks Wrench.” Josh replied seriously without looking up from his laptop.

“Oh man, I cant, I cant really laugh,” Wrench admitted, wiping away an imaginary tear. “I’m pretty sure that was my email account name, like, ten years ago.”

“You mean three minutes ago.”

“Marcus. I love ya. But I _will_ kill you.”

“I’ve never heard of this guy, BadBoy17 or whatever.” Josh admitted to Ray while the two children of the group tried punching each other from a distance. “What have they done that’s of notoriety?”

“Nothin’ too grand, well, ‘cept for helping Aiden out, and all that jazz. Think he was a hacker for hire-”

“Never again,” Sitara interjected, “we don’t need another Lenni.”

“ _Was_ , I said,” Ray emphasized, “ _was_ a hacker for hire. Used’ta ID people, track ‘em down, hack shit, that sorta stuff. Ya’know…” He waved his hand about airily.

“What do you mean, ‘ID people’?” Wrench’s quotey-eyes flickered as the two feuding hackers froze in their mutual chokehold position. “That sounds pretty Blume-y.”

Ray sighed. “They’re not Blume; long story short, BadBoy17 worked for a shitty person. Shitty person ordered a hit on another guy – Aiden – after BadBoy ID’d him, but ended up killing his niece instead. Aiden wanted to find the murderers, and inadvertently hired the same person that ID’d him to ID the people he was after. BadBoy felt shitty, helped him out, they got the bad guy, shit blew up along the way, Aiden told BadBoy to fuck off, BadBoy fucked off and disappeared. And now we’re here.”

“That’s… really shitty.” Marcus said. “Aiden’s cool man, I’m not sure we wanna get down with his niece’s killer. ‘Sides, sounds like BadBoy’d be better off with Prime_Eight – they’re into that no moral’s shit.”

“BadBoy’s got morals. They got a hit ordered on them too cuz they started helping Aiden out. Listen – I know it sounds… not good. But those two made up and all; it was just awkward for them to be in the same room together. But BadBoy’s legit with this stuff. Kid’s got talent.”

The group remained silent for a moment before Sitara spoke up.

“And you’re sure Aiden’ll be okay with this?”

“Tell ya what, I’ll ask for his blessing and he can give it over the camera.”

“Yeah!” Marcus cried out.

“And you’re _sure_ this isn't some elaborate plot to get Blume in here?” Sitara questioned.

“Yes.”

“And you’re sure they’re not going to try and kill us or order a hit or something?”

“ _Yes_.”

“We reserve the right to kick them the fuck out – DedSec or no.” Sitara said with finality.

“Great.” Ray muttered.

“We should discuss this with Horatio first.” Josh said.

“Where is he?” Wrench muttered. “He’s always missing the good stuff.

“My man’s working his nine to five, leave him be,” Marcus replied tetchily.

“Hey Marcus,” Wrench bumped his friends shoulder. “Marcus, hey Marcus.”

“What?” Marcus smacked Wrench’s hand away.

“Hey Marcus, you know what the difference between nine and five is?”

“Huh?”

“It’s four.”

“Yeah, four _hours_. Don’t try and get out of your three minute title.”

“Boys," Sitara sighed.

Josh took the devolving conversation as his cue to leave, and he got up to go without taking his eyes off the screen.

“I hate you for this.” Wrench muttered, his electronic pupils constricting and zeroing in on Marcus’s face.

“You walked right into that one.”

“And you’re about to walk right into these fists-”

“Are you threatening me, string bean?”

“String bean?!” Wrench hopped down from the table just as Marcus pushed himself out of his chair. The two sized each other up for a moment before slowly mutually relaxing.

“I mean, I don’t think here’s the right place-”

“I just polished these spikes, I don’t wanna get them bloody-”

“Also my momma taught me not to hit ladies-”

“And I’m… _excuse_ me?”

Marcus was already halfway up the stairs. “Catch ya’ll later!”

“Marcus!” Wrench darted over to the staircase and reached the lowest step just as the door slid closed. _Motherfucker_ , he hissed.

 

* * *

 

They’d been glancing over to the screens for over five hours before Raymond finally deigned to show up (‘Five hours late! Next you’ll go get milk and never come home’, Wrench had cried) with pizza. He’d promised them to get Aiden on the screen to quell their fears in regards to BadBoy17 (he was pretty sure they just wanted this to get a chance to talk to Pearce), and hoped to find BadBoy by the end of the week. _They’ve hidden pretty well to escape notice for so long... even Aiden pops up from time to time._

Horatio had left work early – citing back pain – to see the goings on as well, and had helped Marcus excitedly ‘make this place look presentable’ before nightfall when the video call started.

“You don’t think that side table’ll look better next to the speaker?” Horatio asked innocently while Marcus (and now Wrench) scuttled about with pizza slices in their mouths cleaning up. The two suddenly straightened and stared at the table in question with their heads cocked.

“He’s right.” Marcus agreed after a moment, and maneuvered a small table over to the speaker and spent two minutes angling it ‘just so’. He moved on to the next task after he deemed it worthy, and Horatio sighed happily and put his feet up on the little table. Sitara side eyed him and grinned.

“You're evil”

“Opportunistic,” Horatio corrected.

“It’s almost seven CST,” Josh informed them all.

“Fuck!” Wrench fluffed a pillow and slammed it onto the spare couch they’d brought in. “Marcus, wipe that vase!”

“What?” Marcus glanced over to the marble-filled vase. “It’s clean.”

“It’s not clean.”

“There's nothing on it-”

“Trust me, if you held a black light up to that thing-”

“Wrench! What the fuck!”

“Oh my god” Sitara rubbed her temples while Horatio choked on his pizza.

Marcus stared at the vase like it’d bite him. “What about the…” he swallowed thickly and felt a sweat break out on his brow. “What about the marbles?”

Wrench laid a hand on his friends shoulder. “They’re irredeemable. Just focus on the vase.”

“Guy’s the light’s on!” Horatio exclaimed, “Dude’s ready, sit down and connect.”

Wrench dove for the spare couch and posed while Marcus dropped down in between Horatio and Josh.

“Get ya damn shoes off my coffee table,” Marcus hissed, and slapped his boyfriends feet off the lovingly placed furniture.

“Fuckin’ kids,” Ray muttered and answered Aiden’s call.

Ray quickly recognized the space as the darkest corner of the bunker Aiden used as a home slash lab slash hideout. He’d basically just pulled a metal folding chair into the corner and turned on a floodlight. It cast harsh shadows over him, but they served well and did a decent job hiding his face. _Took him three seconds to set up, and these kids have been cleaning shit for hours_.

“Oh my god.” Wrench whispered, staring wide-eyed at the screen.

Neither party seemed comfortable speaking first, so Ray took ahold of the situation.

“Hey Pearce, how’s it going?”

There was a small delay before Aiden shifted in his seat and replied, “All right. You?”

“M’not drunk, but it’s okay I guess.” Ray leaned onto the back of the couch that the three hackers were perched on. “Aiden, kids, kids, Aiden. Formally; that there’s Sitara,” Ray motioned with his head without taking his eyes off the screen. “She’s DedSec’s PR, real artistic and stuff. This is Horatio,” Ray gripped Horatio’s shoulder and gave it a shake, “our favorite Nudle mole and compass. This here’s Marcus-”

“Hi-” Marcus blurted.

“Jack-of-all-trade’s and all around get-shit-done-er-er. Josh,” Ray motioned with his chin towards the hacker who was, for once, without his laptop, “kid’s brilliant, barely ever needs to check his stuff over twice.” Ray sighed heavily and glanced over to the Wrench, who was in a ‘paint me like one of your french girls’ pose. “That little weirdo’s the Wrench. He alternates between smashing things and blowing them up.”

“Nice mask,” Aiden replied after a beat. “Did you check he’s not Defalt?” He asked Ray.

Ray chuckled. “Yeah.”

“So you guys are the San Francisco DedSec… sect…” Aiden cocked his head contemplatively.

“That’s us,” Sitara agreed. “We’re just gonna get to the point so you can do your thing-” A quiet ‘nooo’ came from one of the others. Sitara ignored it. “In regards to one of your... colleagues. We wanted to know a bit more about them.”

“Shoot,” Aiden replied.

“BadBoy17. You know them?” She asked pointedly.

There was another delay before Aiden shuffled and replied, “yes.”

“On a scale of one to ten – ten being highest – how likely are they to kill us, turn out to be working for Blume, and clean up some viruses?”

“Five, one, ten.”

“Oh wow, only a five for killing us...” Josh murmured.

“Nah, BadBoy wont wanna get his hands dirty,” Aiden added. “More the kind to throw soap on the floor, turn off the cold water while you shower, and watch you slip and crack your head on the counter.”

Wrench snapped his fingers and slowly rose into a sitting position, “Marcus, forget the glue-”

“Not now Wrench,” Marcus whispered hoarsely. “So, uh, Mr. Pearce,” Marcus shifted in his seat eagerly and smiled. “Huge fan.”

Aiden ducked his head in what looked like a sheepish gesture.

“Seriously. But, we have like…” Marcus glanced behind him to the traitorous computers, “a really complicated virus, and Ray’s telling us that this BadBoy17 guy’s the best at cleaning the stuff – or creating it – but we were wondering… if… uh…”

“If you’d shoot our balls off for working with the guy.” Wrench supplied. “What with your history with him.”

The shadows retreated some from Aiden’s face as he angled to get a better view of the screen. “You want to know if I’d hate you for working with him?”

“Yeah.”

“Nah.”

“Great… Wait seriously?”

Aiden shrugged. “Water under the bridge. Just don’t send he… him back here when your done.”

“Alright…” Marcus agreed.

Another pregnant pause arose while Aiden waited for the next question, and the DedSec members tried to come up with another question to keep him a bit longer.

“Well… if that’s all…,” Aiden said.

Wrench’s eyes flashed ‘T’ for a second.

“Just… beep me if you need something else.”

“Holy shi- I mean, that’s cool man, thanks.” Marcus said nonchalantly.

Aiden waved once, “Later Ray, great meeting you guys,” and the screen went dark.

The hackerspace was silent.

“I need to go lie down.” Wrench muttered as he got up to go crash in his garage.

“That was very fast. He was here for less than two minutes,” Josh commented, looking at one of the new clocks that had been nailed (upside down) to the wall. There were a few ‘hmms’ in agreement as the rest of the group slowly got up and either went off to bed or, in Josh’s case, glare angrily at the virus infecting his laptop.

“So,” Ray said as Sitara passed him on her way to the kitchen, “you happy now?”

“Almost,” she replied. “I’d prefer meeting this ‘BadBoy’ over a call as well before we invite him in. Just in case.”

Ray sighed dramatically. “Who next? The president?”

Sitara faked pensiveness, then shook her head. “Not for now, Alfred.”

Ray grunted and watched her disappear around the corner before he turned heel. He had a vague idea of where BadBoy might be hiding, but he didn't feel up to traveling cross country to get them. He nodded a greeting to a couple of players hidden away in a nearby alcove and weighed his options. _Could probably just send a message_. He thought as he pulled his cap lower and eyed one of the radio towers in the distance. _It’s not very sneaky but_ … he unlocked the nearest car’s door and started the ignition. _I am lazy_ , he admitted before flooring it. 

 

* * *

 

I ~~lowkey~~ highkey ship Wrench/Marcus, but the day I miss an opportunity to stick Clara into some slightly relevant situation will be the day I give up sticking Clara into slightly relevant situations.

Anyways, thanks for reading, hope you liked it, I’m having fun, these dorks are great. Chapter title uncreatively ripped from [Bad Religion's '21st Century Digital Boy'](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN6kCgMUjFw) song because I live for crappy 2003 punk music and plastic spike belt aesthetics.


End file.
